Stand up, writer, and musical improviser

More Mind of Residencia

Other comics keep asking me what I learned from Comic-in-Residence. I’ve been watching a bunch of DVD’s, and I honestly have no idea. I learned a lot of stuff I don’t want to do anymore, which is important. I think when I figure out how to deliver jokes consistently, my act will be better. From watching my tapes, I’m too proud of certain jokes, and that pride beams through my performance and makes me come across as smug. Partially because I am a little smug. I’m thinking, “Wait til they hear this one!” And that comes across through facial expression and body language, and it lessens the effectiveness of my jokes. I haven’t been doing comedy that long, but long enough where I enjoy whenever the hot new comic in town starts failing because they think they’re good at comedy now. People liked them when they were afraid, and now that they’re less fearful, people don’t want to support their shitty jokes. Maybe it’s selfish, but they’re fall from grace makes me feel better.

I remember talking about this sort of thing with an awesome rising comic, Ahmed Bharoocha, before he moved to LA. He phrased it as going through phases of “I’ve figured out comedy!” and “What happened!?! I thought I figured out comedy!!”

I may have learned I need to move to NY. I’m just watching myself and I’m making people laugh without much effort. I’m trying, but I wouldn’t laugh at me in some sets, and people laugh because some of my punchlines are really funny. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of what seems to be me enjoying the sound of my own voice (which may or may not be true) clogging up the act, and I have to fix that. Or find a way to make that work as my character. We’ll see. Either way, I’m getting away with it a bunch of places around Boston.

I guess Comic-in-Residence has helped me learn who I don’t want to be, and also maybe pushed me towards going to NY to help me develop. I don’t know if that’s the right move for everyone, but it feels like there’s such a big fish in a small pond thing going on in Boston, I see people who are decent going to open mics and getting worse. Tonight, I walked 25 minutes to an open mic in a parka when it’s 45 out (still have a cold), getting stares like “who’s this well-kempt homeless person?” watched the host and 3 acts and then just left. It was horrible. And there was maybe one act to look forward to in the room. Thank God I have a cold, or I would have stayed, got drunk and wasted an evening. Alright, that’s enough for tonight. Until whenever I post again!